If you get your water from the city you live in, then you probably know that it goes through a number of treatment processes before it gets pumped into your home. However, you should also know that city treatment centers are never 100% effective.

There are bound to be at least a few harmful contaminants that make it into your home’s plumbing system, which you’ll need additional measures to remove. One of the most common water issues in this area is hard water, which can cause serious problems for your plumbing system. Read on to find out more about hard water, and why you should take steps to address it.

HARD WATER AND LIMESCALE

Hard water is water with a high level of magnesium and calcium particles in it. This is not harmful to your health, although it can make your hair more brittle if you bathe in it. However, it can wreak havoc on your plumbing system over time. As hard water flows through the plumbing system, it will deposit small amounts of magnesium and calcium on the pipe walls. Over time, these deposits will grow into limescale. Limescale will restrict the flow of water through the pipes as it grows, reducing the efficiency of your plumbing system. If it isn’t caught in time, it can harden and become impossible to remove without damaging the pipes. This is why it’s so important to stop hard water from ever getting into your plumbing system in the first place.

WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS

A special kind of water treatment system, called a water softener, is the best way to protect your home from limescale. The water softener is installed in the home’s water line, and removes the majority of the extra particles in the hard water that cause limescale. This is much easier than trying to remove limescale from the pipes after it has already formed.